France approves gay marriage in parliament

Yesterday morning was a historic moment in France, as parliament voted by a large margin to legalize gay marriage. The haters, led by the Catholic Church, are still upset and have been protesting. They may not have noticed that the sun still arrived today, just as it has done elsewhere following the approval of marriage equality.

A majority of French voters support gay marriage (63%), and approval for adoption by gay parents is nearly 50%. Despite an image abroad that France is a lefty paradise of some sort, I’m actually surprised that the support levels are so high. France is a very conservative country that often dislikes change, even if, like much of Europe, it’s not very religious.

Church attendance levels are very low, but those who go are vocal. The protests against equality were primarily funded by the Catholic Church and the center-right political groups who were eager to use the issue to divide people. (Think of the GOP in 2004.) Thankfully, the extremist bigots are about to go lose badly.

Despite the often stubborn refusal to change anything, French president Hollande has managed to follow through on one of his campaign promises. The debate will continue a bit longer but it looks like marriage equality will become a reality in France in the next few weeks.

Chris in Paris
An American in Paris, France. BA in History & Political Science from Ohio State. Provided consulting services to US software startups, launching new business overseas that have both IPO’d and sold to well-known global software companies. Currently launching a new cloud-based startup. Full bio here.